Pearce won't blame ref for shock exit

Last updated at 08:35 22 September 2005

Stuart Pearce refused to play the blame game after Manchester City crashed out of the Carling Cup following a red card that should never have been.

City were leading League One Doncaster 1-0 in the first period of extra-time and ready to book their place in round three when Nedum Onuoha was sent off for sliding in on Rovers goalkeeper Andy Warrington.

Although Warrington was carried off with a suspected broken leg following the incident, the red card appeared extremely harsh and within half an hour of the final whistle, referee Graham Salisbury admitted he had made a mistake.

Confirmation the decision will be rescinded may not bring Pearce too much comfort as Doncaster took advantage of the extra man, levelled late on through Michael McIndoe's own spot-kick, then won 3-0 in the shoot-out which followed. Despite the obvious frustration, Pearce bit his tongue and bravely confessed it was his own side's inadequacies that had cost them the game.

"It would be easy for me to look for decisions which went against us, which probably cost us in the end, but I am not in the business of blaming anyone other than myself," he said.

"There are no excuses. I fielded a strong side but we didn't pass the ball well enough or quickly enough and we have gone out of a competition I wanted to do well in.

"In defence of Nedum, he is not the type of person who would go out to hurt anybody. He is distraught at what happened and feels he has let the side down."

Even Doncaster boss Dave Penney admitted the decision to send Onuoha off was harsh, although bizarrely the incident also significantly aided the home side. Warrington's unfortunate departure brought the introduction of giant Dane Jan Budtz for his debut.

Budtz responded by brilliantly saving from Darius Vassell before keeping out the efforts of Antoine Sibierski and Richard Dunne as City drew a complete blank from the spot.

"Jan has been struggling with a groin injury but has managed to get himself fit and once it went to penalties I felt really confident because he saves them all the time in training," said Penney.

City joined Tottenham and Portsmouth as Barclays Premiership victims of lower league clubs, meaning their trophyless run is now destined to extend beyond 30 years. And Penney revealed he feared his side's chances had taken a huge knock when the impact of Grimsby's win over Spurs sank in during the day.

"I felt the Grimsby result would work against us because I didn't think Manchester City would want the same thing to happen to them," he said.

"They showed us a lot of respect with the side they picked and I know Stuart was looking at the Carling Cup as a trophy they could win. We know there is no chance of us winning it but these days don't come along very often and we want to enjoy it."